“F9: The Fast Saga” (Action/Crime: 2 hours, 23 minutes)

Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and John Cena

Director: Justin Lin

Rated: PG-13 (Violence and profanity)

Movie Review: “The Fast and the Furious” (Director Rob Cohen, 2001) started this movie franchise that has lasted 20 years. It started as a movie about fast cars with scantily clothed women as the background. 

While automobiles are still present, the movies have digressed into sheer comedy, unbelievable action sequences and overdoses of uber masculinity. Even more, planes, tanks and space rocket cars are present also. These movies are entertaining as they are wayward.

This outing, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel, who has the name of a vehicle aficionado) and his entourage have vanquished old threats, but new ones have risen. Jakob (Cena), the estranged brother of Dom and Mia (Brewster), is now the leader of a mercenary organization set on world domination.

The news is not all bad for Dom and his posse. The return of Han Seoul-Oh (insert “Star Wars” joke), played by Sung Kang, has a resurrection worthy of soap opera. The popular character was never dead via a new plot twist. Fans petitioned for the character’s return since his death in the third film “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” (2006). Han keeps reemerging like this franchise.

Director-writer Justin Lin implemented Han’s reappearance for “F9: The Fast Saga,” a seeming swansong for the franchise. The screenplay would be a fitting end for these characters, but Lin and fellow writers leave the door open for more, especially with a scene during the end credits. They keep moving the expiration date back.

Han in his typical fashion also has ridiculous antics such as high-powered magnets that can move cars, silverware and take away antagonists, but not metallic objects on the protagonists. The magnets are a stretch, but less plausible are characters maneuvering a car in outer space.

Action sequences are wild, and characters deliver plenty of action and comedy. However, the story is outrageous and plain goofy at moments. Dominic Toretto’s back story is the best the movie offers to explain the appearance of Cena’s Jakob.

Jakob’s appearance is like multiple movies and television series where a character has a brother not mentioned in other films, but surprisingly the sibling exists. “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier” (1989) comes to mind as one example. Again, this is a move mainly seen on soap operas.

Despite a messy narrative, fans will not care. They like the cast and their on-screen personas. They enjoy the far-out antics as a continuing story of these characters. Remove the well-known cast, and audiences are left with an unconvincing movie of stunt people and special effects.

If producers are smart, this comical, entertaining addition is hopefully a farewell for this saga.

Grade: C+ (Still fast and loose with narrative.)

Playing at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas

“Werewolves Within” (Comedy/Horror: 1 hour, 37 minutes)

Starring: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub and Catherine Curtin

Director: Josh Ruben

Rated: R (Profanity, violence, gore and sexual references)

Movie Review: “Werewolves Within” is an adaptation of the video. It is a subtle comedy and mild horror, but it entertains in the manner of comedies from the 1980s. Think of this comedy as a mixture of “Fargo” (1996), “Clue” (1985) and any of the werewolf movies from the likes of “An American Werewolf in London” (1981).

Ranger Finn Wheeler (Richardson) arrives in a snowy Beaverfield just after some vicious animal attacks. Wheeler fits right in the sleepy town. His and the town’s peace soon subsides with the appearance of a creature that kills. The townsfolk, about a dozen people, meet at the local inn, not know what is attacking them. Soon, their prejudices against each other become more dangerous than the creature stalking them.

Mainly a television director, writer and actor, Josh Ruben (“Scare Me,” 2020), “Werewolves Within” marks his second full-length feature as a director. Ruben has a certain quirkiness with his characters. His characters are eccentric, and their actions are goofy when not just plain odd.

“Werewolves Within” contains odd people. They appear like your everyday people on the surface, but they are far from it. Some appear plain crazy. They are a wreck but watchable.

Sam Richardson leads the cast. His presence is comical because he innocently breaks racial stereotypes. His sound comic performance is good for this role. His scenes with Milana Vayntrub are the movie’s most interesting. They make an interesting pair for a romance, but their awkwardness works in an agitating manner that inspires humor.

Despite some laughs, this story goes awry by making characters over-the-top people. American comedies have replaced smart humor with silly. The two are different. Silly can be comedy but comedy is not mere silliness.

Characters all appear to have motives for what is happening. They are all eccentric people so no sensible reasoning is present to ground the cast. Some performances are unconvincing as some scenes are silly, making several characters appear insane. Still, it is just goofy enough to entertain.

Grade: C+ (It has bite, although no mighty howl.)

Adann-Kennn Alexxandar has been reviewing movies for more than 20 years for The Valdosta Daily Times.